Reproducer for graphophones.



'PATBNTBD MAY 12,1903.

F. L. GAPPS. REPRODUGER TOR GRAPHOPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

wiznesses:

NITE STATES Patented m 12, 1903.

ATENT 'FFICE.

GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, OF \VASHINGTON,

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

REPRODUCER FOR G RAPHOPHONES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,899, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed March 10, 1903. Serial No. 147,193; (lilo model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. CAPPS, of

Bridgeport, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Reproducer for Graphophones,

which is fully set forth in the following specification. r.

This invention relates to reproducers for graphophones; and its object is to prevent the accidental displacement of the stylus from the record-groove.

The invention consists in the novel manner of mounting the speaker upon the connecting-link that is removably secured upon the carriage of the machine; further, in certain improvements in securing the diaphragm in place and the mounting of the stylus-arm and in other details hereinafter to be pointed out.

Reproducers for grapbophones which operate with the ordinary cylindrical sound-record are mounted in such a manner as to have a slight lateral play with regard to the groove of the sound-record. This is generally accomplished by the employment of a trunnion-bearing, which constitutes the connection between the speaker or head and the carriage of the machine. The head is connected to this intermediate bearing by (ap proximately) vertical pivoting, so that the reproducer is free to swing laterally and adjustitself to the record-groove. It frequently happens, however, that the head is. liable to swing to one side or the other when such movement is not desired, which is spoken of as the speaker falling away from the rec 0rd. When such falling away occurs, the machine either skips a portion of the record or repeats a portion already reproduced, depending, of course, upon the direction in which the head has fallen away. One of the objects of my present invention is to avoid this defect.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the'accoinpanying drawings.

Figurelis alongitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a top View.

In the drawings, A represents the head or speaker, having the usual neck B.

C represents the trunnion-bearing, which is adapted for the usual engagement upon the carriage of the graphophone. In the usual construction the speaker is pivoted to the trunnion-bearing C by a round pin or journal, and when in position its weight would be supported on these two pivots, and it is free to swing and with the slightest jar will swing to one side or the other of its correct position in the vertical plane through its axis.

According to my present invention instead of employing the round journal pivot, as heretofore, I make use of one round (lower) pivot or journal D and opposite there-to another bearing device E. This latter consists in the form shown of a flattened lug entering an enlarged and flattened slot F in the neck of the speaker. When the speaker is in its normal position, there is an extended bearing-surface. The weight of the speaker is supported at the two meeting surfaces 6 e and f f, which constitute an extended bearing and tend to hold the speakerlevel. Since the slot F is larger than the stud E, the speaker as a whole can, as heretofore, be readily swung toeither side by the abnormal deviations of the sound-record; but any jar given ma speaker (as by the ordinary running of the graphophone) instead of throwing the speaker to one side would, on the contrary, restore it to its normal position if it were already out of alinement.

Of course it is not necessary that the stud E and the slot F be parallelograms, as shown in the drawings, so long as there is provided an extended bearing-surface consisting of at least two bearin g edges, such as e and e, fandf. Moreover, instead of the two separate bearings D and E there may be acoutinuous pin rounded at one bearing and flattened (or its equivalent) at the other bearing. 0

To describe the next feature of my improved reproducer, G represents a ring having an inturned flange g and screw-threaded at g to engage with corresponding screwthreads on the head A. H-is an annulus pro-- 5 vided with the web it and the tongue h. The diaphragm I is located on the inner side of the annulus, preferably there being an intervening rubber gasket 2' between the diaphragm and annulus. A second rubber gasket 2' lies against the rear of the diaphragm, and preferably a metal gasket t is placed adjacent to the rubber gasket 2'. This metal gasket serves as a bearing-surface when the head A is screwed into the ring G to prevent tearing the rubber gasket 2''. Upon the tongue 71." is supported the slotted post J, in which is pivoted lever K, preferably so as to provide arms of unequal length, as shown. The inner and longer arm is connected, as by an intermediate link k, to the center of the diaphragm I, while the outer and shorter arm is hollowed out to receive the reproducing ball or stylus L.

When the speaker is in operative position, that portion of its weight which is not borne on the supports 1) and E rests upon the sty lus L. This pressure on the shorter arm of the lever K tends to pull the longer arm of the lever out (away from the diaphragm) and tautens the connections 7; and holds the diaphragm under tension, the latter becoming convexed outwardly and ready to respond most sensitively to the slightest irregularities of the sound-record.

By reason of the weight of the forward end of the device resting upon stylus L at one end of the lever any accidental upward impulse given the lever by the record-cylinder (owing to an abnormally abrupt contour in the bottom of the record-groove or for other cause) will not cause the speaker to be jerked up clear of intimate contact of its stylus with the bottom of the groove; but the impulse will be expended in pulling down on the other end of lever K against the diaphragm, so that this feature of my invention insures that the stylus will continue to track in the proper record-groove.

By means of my invention as a whole I obtain a reproducer which will faithfully and continuously keep track in its record-groove, is not liable (as heretofore) to jump out, is not liable (also as heretofore) to fall away laterally from its groove, and if for any cause it is set awry will at once adjust itself prop erly. Moreover, the various parts are simple and inexpensive, they can be readily replaced when broken, and the substitution or assemblage is easily accomplished.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction or arrangement of parts, which I have described specifically merely for the purpose of illustration. Furthermore, portions of my invention may be used to the exclusion of other portions without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a talking-machine, a reproducer, a neck or tubing for detachable connection with the carriage, and means for securing said reproducer to said tubing, the said means consisting of a journal-bearing on one side of said tubing and diametrically opposite thereto a flattened stud engaging a flattened slot.

2. The combination ofa reproducerfor talking-macl1ines,and a trunnion-bearing secured thereto by a flattened stud on one of the parts entering a flattened slot in the other.

3. The combination with atalking-rnachine reproducer and a trunnion-bearing therefor, of a connection between the same which provides a plurality of bearing-surfaces in approximately the same horizontal plane.

L. The combination of a reproducer, a trunnion-bearing therefor,and a su bsl antially vertical pivot between the two permitting lateral play of the former, there being between said pivot and the movable parta plurality of bearing-surfaces within the same horizontal plane.

5. The combination of a remoduceuhead, a diaphragm therein, an annulus beyond said diaphragm, and a stylus-lever pivoted upon a tongue extending radially inwardly from said annulus, its inner end connected with the center of said diaphragm.

6. The combination of a reproducer-head, a ring with inturned flange secured thereto, an annulus and a diaphragm with gaskets held between said head and said flange, a post supported upon an inward projection from said annulus, and a stylus-lever pivoted on said post and having its inner end connected to said diaphragm.

7. The combination of a reproducer-head, a trunnion-bearing therefor, a flattened pivot between the two, a post supported in front of the diaphragm of said head and inwardly from the periphery thereof, and a lever pivoted upon said post and connected at its inner end to said diaphragm and carrying a stylus at its outer end.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK L. CAPPS.

Witnesses:

O. A. L. MAssIs, R. L. SooTr.

ICC" 

